Air-operated rotating device and air supply and control mechanism therefor



Sepia E29 E95@ E R SMH-H 2952242 AIR-OPERATED ROTATING `DEVICE AND AIR SUPPLY AND CONTROL MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Dec. 8, `1948 Patented Sept. 12, 1950 PATENT Quim:i

AIR-OPERATEo yBorrarme( DEVICE AND AIR SUPPLY ANDfooNrRoLMEoHANIsn/f Edwin R; smith, seneca Fans, N.Y., assigorto i l f `'Seneca Falls-Machine Company, Seneca' Falls, i N. Y., avcorporlation of Massachusetts i y "This in'r'cntionrelatesv to machines inwhich a rotating device, such as a work holder, is operated by compressed air from a stationary air supply. The rotativespeeds.ofsuch devices are now very high, and the maintenance of satisfactory air connectionsand'air controlipresents serious difl It is thefgeneralgobjectl,onmypresent invention to provide an improved construction effec-` tive to' connect a stationary air supplytcl-*aro` tatingfai'r-operated device, and tocontrol the air d'stribution'in said device. 1"' f "More specifically, I` provide a' `controlniel ber which'ro'tates with a work spindle or other rotating device and which is axially slidable to control the air distribution in the rotating device. I also provide an air supply member of relatively small diameter and a correspondingly small packing device associated therewith, so that the relative speed of the frictionally-engaged surfaces is greatly reduced over the present practice.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be herein- `after described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 isa side elevation showing my invention embodied in a Work spindle;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of certain parts shown in the left-hand portion of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional elevation, taken along the line 3--3 in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have shown my invention as embodied in a machine tool having a Work spindle III rotated in any convenient matter, a collet chuck I I for a piece of Work W, bearings I2 for the Work spindle, and an air cylinder I5 rotating with the Work spindle and containing a slidable piston I6 conected by a draw-bar I1 to the collet II. As air is admitted to one side or the other of the piston I6, the chuck I I is opened or closed.

The parts thus far described are of usual commercial construction and in themselves form no part of my present invention, which relates to the delivery and control of air for the cylinder I5.

The cylinder I5 supports a short shaft 20 extending rearward therefrom and provided with ports 2i and 22. The port 2I is connected through a longitudinal passage 23, an annular passage 24 and a radiating passage 25 to the right-hand end of the cylinder I5 (as viewed in Fig. 2) and the port 22 is similarly connected by n 2 l L a longitudinal passage 26 to the left-handend of, the'l cylinder.

"control sleeve 30 is mounted on and rotates with the shaft 20 and is a close sliding fit there'or'rly The lsleeve 30 may be slidably connected' to th'i shaft' "20 by a key 32 mounted in the shaft and' cacting with a keyway 33 in the sleeve.' The* sleeve 30 is longitudinally slotted at its left-handnd'a's indicated at 30a. u

"Compressed air is delivered through apipe4'0 td a non-rotatingmember 4I which extends 'into' an axial recess 42 in the Vouter endiof the shaft 2Il"`and whichlis 4axially'supported-in4 said recess' by anti-friction'bearings 43. An yaxial' passage' 44 in the'member 4I connects the pipe 46 "tofan axial passage`46 in theshaft 20, and the'passage 46 is connected by a cross passage 41 to an annular recess 48 in the sliding sleeve 30.

A cup washer or other suitable packing 50 is mounted within the shaft 20 and engages a reduced end portion 5I of the member 44. Flanges 52 may be provided on the outside of the sleeve 30 for engagement by rolls 53 on a yoke or other shifting device 54.

When the sleeve 30 is in the position shown in Fig. 2, compressed air will be admitted through the, pipe 4I), aligned axial passages 44 and 46, cross passage 41, annular recess 48, port 22 and connecting passage 26 to the left-hand end of the cylinder I5. At the same time the cylinder space at the right of the piston I6 will be connected to the atmosphere through the passages 25, 24 and 23 and the port 2|. The piston I6 will thus be moved to the right to open the chuck I,I and release the Work.

If the sleeve 30 is shifted to the right in Fig. 2, I

the annular recess 48 will be connected through the port 2| and passages 23, 24 and 25 to the right-hand side of the piston I6, and the port 22 will be opened to the atmosphere. The piston I6 will then be moved to the left in Figs. 1 and 2, thus closing the chuck I I on the work W.

It will be noted that the sleeve 3B rotates with the shaft 20, so that there are no relatively rom tating valve parts, and .it will be further noted that the packing 50 is frictionally rotated relative only tc the reduced end portion 5I of the fixed member 4I. The surfaces thus engaged are of such small diameter that the rate of relative linear movement is low, even when the work spindle and associated parts are rotated at high speed.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not Wish to be limited `armani; i

to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

1. Air supply and control mechanism for a rotating air-operated device comprising an axial member rotating with said device, a sleeve mounted to slide on said axial member but non-rotatable relative thereto and having arr annular recess therein which is open on its inner side, means to supply air under pressure to said recess in allaxial operative positions of said sleeve, axially spaced ports in said axial member', andi'conneo tions from said ports to sadair-operated'v device,

and said sleeve alternately connecting a selected one of said ports to said recessand air supply the other port to the atmosphere. i

2. Air supply and control mechanism for'v a rotating air-operated device comprising anaxiai.

and

member rotating with said device, non-rotatable axial means to supply air under pressurefto anv mechanism asset forthin. claim 2in which the f axial member has axially spacedY peripheralports forsaid additional. connecting passages, and in Whichthevalve. member has an annular recess permanently connected to the air supply passage and. alternately enacting. with a. selected port as said: valvey member is shifted axially.

4. The combination in air supply and control mechanism as set forth in claim 2, in which the axial member has axially spaced peripheral ports for said additional connecting passages, and in which the valve member has an annular recess permanently connectedv to the/air supply passage and* alternately coactingxlvvitha selected port as said valve member is shifted axially and the other port being simultaneously opened to the atmosp'here.

5. Air' supply andl control mechanism for a rotating'air-opera'ted device comprising an axial member rotating'4 with said device and having an axial air-admitting passage, means to continuously supply under pressure to said passage,

yEnvvnvl a. SMITH.

. aEFERENcs `Crm-:D

yThe'. following references are of record; in thele of this patent: v

UNITED STATES' PA'IErrrsvv Number NameV y Date f 806,168I Morrison g -.Dec; 5, 1905 1,024,882 Domizi s -.Apn 301.1912 1,28%,225'v .'Bogartlm Nov. 12;;1918 11,785,349' -Hopkina Dec.V 1'6, y1930 

